Milan - Italian club Verona were on Tuesday given a one-match partial stadium closure for monkey chants from their fans directed at Brescia forward Mario Balotelli during a Serie A game at the weekend.

Italian international Balotelli scored in Sunday's 2-1 defeat but his performance was overshadowed by his fury at the racist abuse from a section of Verona's supporters.

Serie A's disciplinary commission on Tuesday said the chants "were clearly perceived, in addition to the player, also by the federation representative positioned nearby."

The commission found "after these cries... there were also cries of support followed by long applause".

As a result they ordered that a section known as the "Poltrone Est" in the Bentegodi Stadium, which can host around 3,500 spectators in the 30,000-capacity ground, be closed for one match.

Despite denials of abuse from Verona, a video published on Twitter by a fan showed a number of supporters directing abuse at Balotelli before the forward booted the ball at them in the stands.

The match was suspended for a few minutes around the hour mark as Balotelli tried to force himself from the field before a message was read out on the stadium loudspeaker threatening that both teams would leave the field if there was a repeat of any abuse.